Davis, Carter and Ford advance to state tournament
Lead Summary
By
The Highland County Press-
Three Highland County grapplers have reached the biggest stage in the state, as they have advanced to the 2013 Division II State Wrestling Championships with Top 4 finishes this past weekend at the Goshen District tournament.
McClain senior Brandon Davis, Hillsboro senior Brandon Carter and Hillsboro junior Kordell Ford all placed in the top four of their respective weight classes following a two-day tournament at GHS.
Davis, who wrestles at 220 pounds, finished in second place, while Carter and Ford each were third at 106 and 152, respectively.
Carter and Ford each will be returning to the state championship for the second consecutive year. Ford placed fourth overall in the state one year ago as he was 4-2 at the state event as a sophomore. Carter went 1-2 overall at state as a junior.
Davis becomes the first MHS wrestler to reach state since Caleb Cooper in 2010, who advanced to the tournament at 215 pounds.
Overall this season, Davis improves to 44-6, Carter moves to 44-3 and Ford stands at 46-3.
As for the two-day event this past weekend, Davis finished 3-1, while Ford and Carter each went 4-1, as all three wrestlers were South Central Ohio League and sectional champions this season.
In his final match, Davis placed second, as he fell in the finals to New Richmond's Nathan Dixon by pin fall at 5:34. As for the rest of the tournament, Davis dominated his opponents, as he won his 220-pound semifinal match, defeating Anthony Welty of Graham Local by a 4-2 decision.
In his first-round match, Davis pinned Goshen's Jacob Moore in 50 seconds. His quarterfinal match lasted 3:38, but again, Davis won with a pin fall over Tyler Tolliver of New Lexington.
Carter ended the two-day tournament in third place, as he won his final match of the tournament with a 6-2 decision over Levi Congleton of Warren. Carter lost in the semifinals on Saturday, losing via pin fall at 2:40 in the 106-pound class to Michael May of Eaton. The senior won in the consolation semifinals to defeat Skylar St. Peter of Athens by a 7-3 decision.
The HHS senior began the first day of the district tournament with a pin fall win over Seth Chambers (Clermont NE) in 31 seconds at 106 pounds. In the quarterfinals, Carter won by a 5-4 decision over McKinley Screetch of Chaminade Julienne.
Ford won by pin fall over Washington's Jimmy Vandyke at 3:42 to finish 3rd place overall at the Div. II Goshen Districts at 152 pounds.
Ford lost in the semifinals as well at 152 pounds, to Alex Marinelli of Graham Local by a 6-5 decision. Ford also pushed his way to the third-place match, as he won his consolation semifinal match over Andrew Dunn by a 7-0 decision.
Ford won his first-round match by a 10-3 decision over Aldin Leaker of Eaton. In his quarterfinal match, Ford won by major decision at 17-4.
Others also took part in the district event but came up short of reaching the state tournament.
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Craig Jackson (HHS) won his second consolation match, winning at 138 pounds against Jacob Phillips (Bethel-Tate) by a major decision at 17-5. He lost in the third consolation by pin fall at 1:44 to Cory Abdella (Athens). He started the tournament by going 1-1 on the first day, as he won his first round match at 138 pounds over Sterling Briggs (Goshen) by a 9-6 decision. In the quarterfinals, Jackson lost by pin at 3:58 to Heath Lange of Indian Lake.
Also winning in the second consolation was Hillsboro's Connor Johnston at 160 pounds, winning by a 6-4 decision over Mason McCane of Washington. Johnston lost in the third consolation match, falling to Connor Rahm (Goshen) by a 9-4 decision. Johnston, who qualified for the state tournament last year, lost in the first round to Chillicothe's Christian Collins by major decision in the district tournament on the first day. Johnston turned around to win in the first consolation, by a major decision (12-0), over Austin Kinnard of Bethel-Tate.
McClain's Dylan Trefz won his second consolation mach, defeating Ethan Padnos (Wyoming) with a pin at 2:50 but lost in the third consolation by pin at 2:02 to Kevin Phelps (Wilmington). Trefz won his first-round 285-pound match by defeating Jeffery Manley of Thurgood Marshall with a pin at 3:03. Trefz lost in the quarterfinals to Evan Loughman (Sheridan) by pin fall at 2:44.
Hillsboro's Matt West, on the second day, lost in the second consolation round, falling to Sheridan's Ethan Kehn by a 5-3 decision at 113 pounds. West went 1-1 in the first day. West was defeated in the first round by tech. fall at 113 pounds by Cameron Kelly of Bellbrook, and in the first consolation round, West won by a 7-2 decision over Travis Bee of Bethel-Tate.
At 120 pounds, Hillsboro's Ryan Kelley lost by pin fall at 1:56 in the second consolation on Saturday to Joey Yerace of Ross. On day one, Kelley defeated Andrew Spicer of New Lexington by a 12-6 score in the first round. In his quarterfinal match, Kelly lost to Aric Peters of Bethel-Tate by pin fall at 1:40.
Toby Warrington also lost in the second consolation Saturday morning, falling in a 126-pound match to Keanu Hallowell of Athens by a 7-1 decision. Warrington lost in the first round to Elijah Cochran (Kenton Ridge) by major decision. Warrington rebounded with a victory in the first consolation, defeating Austin Barnes (Vinton County) by pin at 4:49.
Drew Huffman (HHS) lost in the second consolation at 182 pounds by pin fall in the 182-pound class to Will Cogswell at 2:21. Huffman lost in the first round to RJ Waugh of Sheridan by a 9-3 decision. Huffman bounced back with a win in the first consolation, defeating Ryan Fulmer (Western Brown) with a pin at 4:14.
At 132 pounds, McClain's Coty Barnhart lost by pin at 2:34 to Fairfield Union's Stewart Oehlers. In his first consolation match, Barnhart lost by major decision to Tyler Wiederholt.
Also at 132 pounds, Hillsboro's Cody Whaley lost in the first round to Andy Vu of Athens by pin at 3:52. In Whaley's first consolation match, he lost by major decision to Bethel-Tate's Chip Ratcliff.
McClain's Roscoe East and Hillsboro's Darian Schumacher each lost in the first round of the 170-pound class. East fell by a 4-2 decision to Norwood's Nick Jackson. Schumacher lost by a 6-0 decision to Kevin Reid of New Richmond. Both wrestlers also fell in the first consolation, as East lost to Austin Antill (Warren) by a major decision, while Schumacher lost by a 6-3 decision to Chad Burge of Fairfield.
Hillsboro finished 13th out of 37 schools in the district tournament with 49 points. McClain finished 21st with 29 points. Winning the event was Graham Local with 231.5 points. Also from the SCOL, Miami Trace was fifth with 79 points, and Washington was eighth with 68 points. Clinton-Massie was 19th with 34.5 points.
McClain senior Brandon Davis, Hillsboro senior Brandon Carter and Hillsboro junior Kordell Ford all placed in the top four of their respective weight classes following a two-day tournament at GHS.
Davis, who wrestles at 220 pounds, finished in second place, while Carter and Ford each were third at 106 and 152, respectively.
Carter and Ford each will be returning to the state championship for the second consecutive year. Ford placed fourth overall in the state one year ago as he was 4-2 at the state event as a sophomore. Carter went 1-2 overall at state as a junior.
Davis becomes the first MHS wrestler to reach state since Caleb Cooper in 2010, who advanced to the tournament at 215 pounds.
Overall this season, Davis improves to 44-6, Carter moves to 44-3 and Ford stands at 46-3.
As for the two-day event this past weekend, Davis finished 3-1, while Ford and Carter each went 4-1, as all three wrestlers were South Central Ohio League and sectional champions this season.
In his final match, Davis placed second, as he fell in the finals to New Richmond's Nathan Dixon by pin fall at 5:34. As for the rest of the tournament, Davis dominated his opponents, as he won his 220-pound semifinal match, defeating Anthony Welty of Graham Local by a 4-2 decision.
In his first-round match, Davis pinned Goshen's Jacob Moore in 50 seconds. His quarterfinal match lasted 3:38, but again, Davis won with a pin fall over Tyler Tolliver of New Lexington.
Carter ended the two-day tournament in third place, as he won his final match of the tournament with a 6-2 decision over Levi Congleton of Warren. Carter lost in the semifinals on Saturday, losing via pin fall at 2:40 in the 106-pound class to Michael May of Eaton. The senior won in the consolation semifinals to defeat Skylar St. Peter of Athens by a 7-3 decision.
The HHS senior began the first day of the district tournament with a pin fall win over Seth Chambers (Clermont NE) in 31 seconds at 106 pounds. In the quarterfinals, Carter won by a 5-4 decision over McKinley Screetch of Chaminade Julienne.
Ford won by pin fall over Washington's Jimmy Vandyke at 3:42 to finish 3rd place overall at the Div. II Goshen Districts at 152 pounds.
Ford lost in the semifinals as well at 152 pounds, to Alex Marinelli of Graham Local by a 6-5 decision. Ford also pushed his way to the third-place match, as he won his consolation semifinal match over Andrew Dunn by a 7-0 decision.
Ford won his first-round match by a 10-3 decision over Aldin Leaker of Eaton. In his quarterfinal match, Ford won by major decision at 17-4.
Others also took part in the district event but came up short of reaching the state tournament.
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Craig Jackson (HHS) won his second consolation match, winning at 138 pounds against Jacob Phillips (Bethel-Tate) by a major decision at 17-5. He lost in the third consolation by pin fall at 1:44 to Cory Abdella (Athens). He started the tournament by going 1-1 on the first day, as he won his first round match at 138 pounds over Sterling Briggs (Goshen) by a 9-6 decision. In the quarterfinals, Jackson lost by pin at 3:58 to Heath Lange of Indian Lake.
Also winning in the second consolation was Hillsboro's Connor Johnston at 160 pounds, winning by a 6-4 decision over Mason McCane of Washington. Johnston lost in the third consolation match, falling to Connor Rahm (Goshen) by a 9-4 decision. Johnston, who qualified for the state tournament last year, lost in the first round to Chillicothe's Christian Collins by major decision in the district tournament on the first day. Johnston turned around to win in the first consolation, by a major decision (12-0), over Austin Kinnard of Bethel-Tate.
McClain's Dylan Trefz won his second consolation mach, defeating Ethan Padnos (Wyoming) with a pin at 2:50 but lost in the third consolation by pin at 2:02 to Kevin Phelps (Wilmington). Trefz won his first-round 285-pound match by defeating Jeffery Manley of Thurgood Marshall with a pin at 3:03. Trefz lost in the quarterfinals to Evan Loughman (Sheridan) by pin fall at 2:44.
Hillsboro's Matt West, on the second day, lost in the second consolation round, falling to Sheridan's Ethan Kehn by a 5-3 decision at 113 pounds. West went 1-1 in the first day. West was defeated in the first round by tech. fall at 113 pounds by Cameron Kelly of Bellbrook, and in the first consolation round, West won by a 7-2 decision over Travis Bee of Bethel-Tate.
At 120 pounds, Hillsboro's Ryan Kelley lost by pin fall at 1:56 in the second consolation on Saturday to Joey Yerace of Ross. On day one, Kelley defeated Andrew Spicer of New Lexington by a 12-6 score in the first round. In his quarterfinal match, Kelly lost to Aric Peters of Bethel-Tate by pin fall at 1:40.
Toby Warrington also lost in the second consolation Saturday morning, falling in a 126-pound match to Keanu Hallowell of Athens by a 7-1 decision. Warrington lost in the first round to Elijah Cochran (Kenton Ridge) by major decision. Warrington rebounded with a victory in the first consolation, defeating Austin Barnes (Vinton County) by pin at 4:49.
Drew Huffman (HHS) lost in the second consolation at 182 pounds by pin fall in the 182-pound class to Will Cogswell at 2:21. Huffman lost in the first round to RJ Waugh of Sheridan by a 9-3 decision. Huffman bounced back with a win in the first consolation, defeating Ryan Fulmer (Western Brown) with a pin at 4:14.
At 132 pounds, McClain's Coty Barnhart lost by pin at 2:34 to Fairfield Union's Stewart Oehlers. In his first consolation match, Barnhart lost by major decision to Tyler Wiederholt.
Also at 132 pounds, Hillsboro's Cody Whaley lost in the first round to Andy Vu of Athens by pin at 3:52. In Whaley's first consolation match, he lost by major decision to Bethel-Tate's Chip Ratcliff.
McClain's Roscoe East and Hillsboro's Darian Schumacher each lost in the first round of the 170-pound class. East fell by a 4-2 decision to Norwood's Nick Jackson. Schumacher lost by a 6-0 decision to Kevin Reid of New Richmond. Both wrestlers also fell in the first consolation, as East lost to Austin Antill (Warren) by a major decision, while Schumacher lost by a 6-3 decision to Chad Burge of Fairfield.
Hillsboro finished 13th out of 37 schools in the district tournament with 49 points. McClain finished 21st with 29 points. Winning the event was Graham Local with 231.5 points. Also from the SCOL, Miami Trace was fifth with 79 points, and Washington was eighth with 68 points. Clinton-Massie was 19th with 34.5 points.